Control mechanism



Sept. 7, 1943.

w. 'c'. EDDY I CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 7, w c D CONTROL MECHANISM Filed May 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 7, 1943 I a n "his exit series giierawn amiti' iiiw' a .i'lciiw inemsnaana mm il'igimiti .ii aldiitri'iiii eii no .nie'reii iisi'eii iforums :iiiw rainecero: in: a d discus nine-ind ai mesa": Zififii'iilu roe e "1 r aulnia umrao STATES S a rlaiiva hangings at iriglew ma ei i" arlri 14 Claims.

This inventidn relates to a control mechanism for sound reproducing apparatus for reproducing sound from sound tracks carried upon sound track carriers such as phonograph records and sound tion will appe films, and more particularly to a mechanism for anclndrawing controlling the operation of such apparatus whereby a predetermined portion of the sound record may be automatically played.

In the use of phonographs and other sound reproducing apparatus it is often desirable to begin the operation of the phonograph at an intermediate portion of the recording and at a precise point of the sound track. Thus it is often neces- :i V sary to play only a particular portion of the r tli'playin arm nia modified pm i reirwen'; ord on the phonograph commencing at a" certain 15 tiomithei- ,iew reprresIidiidiiigihtdzthd... aim q z'izEig. sound. To accomplish this purpose the pickup 25: 2; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of one ofithe mechanism must be brought into engagement solnoidsiirsed n "iappare.tusctakenealongi the with the portion of the record which carries'the ig. .6 issii. recording to be played at aprecise poi t of the sound track. f 1 1 An object of the invention is to bririg lthe pick} up mechanism of sound reproducingfla pparatu'i into operative engagement with a'predetermin d portion of the sound track on the record an produce such engagement automatically. A i v other object is to provide a micrometer. adj m h v h flt e xifl p a e ment of the lateral position of the'playing jacentitheaturntabla and needle of the phonograph with respect to the f "1 P 'm -jhlch aidaptedito sound track so that the needlewillbe in ex t e' operatedzsbyzthe mOv men 3:.:Q 9113 lamr an adventagesi orctheii ion i. "amid fragmentar ection' viewetakenaialongnth dine;

provided with a rotatable turntable I l whichrsupr portsii aa diskziredord .ljZ. Aboveith "record is a playingzi-arm o'carryin ratso end :pickup alignment with the sound track which is e .30 m 15km with a Small engagai still another object isfto p n outer end portion of non-circular outline such as to maintain the needle of the playinglarrn in iiked j'byipmyidmg wxbensmnsionwne side thereof-i as relation with a selected portion of the recordand, when the predetermined portion of the record is v about to pass the needle, to bring the needle auto. opevmbut: when thgf pimped as explained matically into engagement with that, pg herein f elt llea extension t h wengaggsuand recPrd at precisepoint thereQnl vcloses-theswitch: Tb llQ fQ lBfiXfiEIldS through'a obJect lS to provide electro-magnetic n1 Solenoid 9 and iseqmpped at its'othe mamtautmg arm madam it 40 afin erdfl a a d-irate en a -p and vertical position withrespect, to,the record I; mounted on and to provide means for automatically rleasing the playing arm when the predetermine 'rtion of the record is to be engaged; Another object of the invention is means associated with the 'recordfo v the releasing mechanism for the sol noidszwhich hold the playing arm in position. fiurtli'er ob"- ject is to provide a relay circuitimficonne'ction with the releasing of the solenoidsiwhich lioldlthe playing arm in position;=A-furthe provide in the electrical circuita pair of switches, one of t manually operable andthe ot by the relay, the switches bein will thus normaliy cause the pickup mechanism to be brought'into engagement with the record I2 on the turntable II.

The pickup mechanism is of the usual wellknown construction and will not be described in 7 detail herein. Operative engagement of the pickup mechanism with the sound track of the de- [plate I adjacent the hinge 21. A thumb screw 29 threadedly engaging the plate I5 provides for adjustment of the vertical position of the plate I with respect to the extension '28.

tji'ne plate II is provided with a lateral exnsion 30 which in turn is equipped at its end th an upwardly turned flange 30'.

) neath the extension 30 of the plate I5 and ported on the phonograph table III is a base t lifquipped at one end with a fixed vertical s dard 32 which supports a shaft 33. The shaft 33 is equipped with a long set screw which may be in the form of a micrometer 34 for adjustthe longitudinal position of the shaft with respect to standard 32. The micrometer may be of conventional construction and will not be described in detail herein. Th other end ofthe shaft 33 supports a solenoid 35 which is' adapted, when energized, to magnetire the shaft 33 and cause the reduced end- 36 thereof to hold'the flange 30 of the plate IS in engagement therewith.

Th base 3| also supports a solenoid or electro-magnet 40 which is adapted to engage the plate I 5. When energized, the solenoid 40 draws the plate I5 downwardly into contact with it. and thus holds the playing arm up with the pickup mechanism I 4 out of engagement with the record.

As seen. particularly in Fig; 5, the leaf switch I8 is provided with a pair of contact points 31 and 38 which are brought into contact by the movement of the cam II to close the switch IS. The shaft l8 which extends through the solenoid I9 is provided with a sleeve 39 fixedly attached thereto. The sleeve 39 acts as the solenoid armature.

The solenoid I9 is provided with a cylindrical casing 4I mounted on supports 42 which may, if desired, be integral with the end walls of the casing as shown. Within the casing 4| is the usual field coil 43 wound around the armature 39 on the shaft I8. A spring 44 arranged around the shaft I8 urges the shaft towards the end of the casing opposite the switch IS. The finger 20 on the shaft I3 is adapted to be engaged by the pin 2| carried by the turntable I I.

the modified form of the invention shown in g. 4 a base plate 45 is mounted on the table III the'phonograph. The base plate 45 is for convenience provided with a scale 46. The base plate 45 supports the movable platform 41 which is equipped with a projection 43 adapted to be brought into registration with the markings of the scale 46. A bolt 43 extends through the elongated slot '50 in the platform 41 to permit movement of the platform along the scale 43 on the base plate 45. The bolt 49 may be tightened to' lock the platform in any selected position on the base plate.

The platform 41 supports a vertical standard iii and a solenoid 52 which correspond to the standard 32 and solenoid 43 shown in Fig. 2.

In other respects the modified .form of the invention shown in Fig. 4 corresponds to the structure shown in Fig. 2.

In the wiring diagram as seen-in Fig. 6 a source of current 53 leads to a circuit in which the solenoids 35 and 40 are arranged in parallel. In the same circuit are a manuallyoperable switch 54 and a double-pole double-throw switch 55, which is arranged in the circuit of the solenoid I9 and is adapted to be operated by a relay circuit containing thesolenoid 56.

Operation of the apparatus The operation of the apparatus of this invention is as follows: The disk record contains a single continuous sound groove which-extends in a a spiral from the outer to the inner periphery of the record and its respective portions thus form a plurality of peripheral sound tracks. The playing arm must therefore be adjust! i laterally or radially with respect to the record to overlie a selected sound track. This adjustment is made by means of the micrometer 34 which moves the shaft longitudinally with respect to the standard 32 and shifts the position'of the flange 30' of the plate I5 and the playing arm I3 attached thereto. A disk record which contain the portion sought to be played is placed upon the tumtable II and by manual operation of the tone arm and the phonograph is played in the conventional manner. When the desired portion 'of sound track is located the turntable is stopped and the position of the tone arm radially is fixed by means of the micrometer 34.

The record is then placed on the turntable II in such a position that the pickup mechanism I4 engages the sound track of the record I2 at the predetermined portion thereof immediately after the pin 2| engages the finger 20. In other words, the record is rotated on the turntable in such a position that after engagement of the pin 2| with the finger 20, the playing arm will be released and will move towards the record I2 until the pickup mechanism I4 engages the record. The record should therefore be placed on v gages the moving record at the precise point of the sound track selected.

When manual switch 54 isin closed position the solenoids 35 and 40 are energized. This causes the flange 3|! to be held in contact with the extension 36 of the shaft 33 and the plate I5 to be held in contact with the solenoid 40.

When it is desired to reproduce the selected portion of the record, the turntable is set into operation and the disk is rotated at its running speed. When the sound is desired the manual switch 54 is opened and the blade 51 is shifted to the dotted line position shownin Fig. 6 partially to close the circuit indicated.- Because of the separation-of the contact points 31 and 33, the circuit is not completely clwed. When the pin 2| engages the finger 20 as the turntable revolves, the cam II will be turned to close the contacts 31 and 38 of switch I6 and to cause the relay solenoid 56 to be energized and plate 58 to be drawn to the dotted line position shown in Fig.

6. Thecircuit of the solenoids 35 and 40 is now maintaining the switch in closed position.

As soon as the solenoids 35 and 40 are deenergized the playing arm is released and moves towards the record lzuntil the needle of the pickup mechanism M is brought into contact therewith. As soon as the needle is brought into contact with the record l2 the playing of the recrd begins and continues until the record is completed or the mechanism is stopped.

The mechanism may be reset for operation by merely closing the manual switch 54. This will cause the solenoids 35 and 40 to be energized and engage the plate i5. The same movement of the manual switch 56 will de-energize the solenoid 5% of the relay and cause the blade 58 of the switch 55 to return to normal position. The movement of the switch 55 opens the circuit of the solenoid l9 and causes it to be deenergized.

In the event great precision in bringing the pickup mechanism into engagement with a precise point on the sound track is not required, a

simpler form of the apparatus can be employed as indicated.- This would eliminate the use of the relay switch 55, the solenoid 56, the solenoid lit and the leaf switch IS, with their associated parts. All of the apparatus (see Fig. 2) -for adjusting and maintaining the lateral position of the tonearm would be retained. By means of the micrometer 3% this position could be accurately set so that the needle would engage a selected groove in the sound track.

The simplified circuit as shown in Figure 7 comprises solenoids 35 and 40' corresponding to the solenoids 35 and M of Figure 6 connected in parallel to the battery 53 through a manually operable switch 5d. When the switch is closed, the two solenoids are energized to raise the pickup from the record and move it against the adjustable stop above the selected groove in the record. Upon opening the switch 54 the solenoids will be de-energized to release the tone arm so that the pickup can move into engagement with the record.

Thus the record would ice-engaged in a, selected track, but without discrimination as to the precise point at which the engagement would be effected.

Although the mechanism has been described in connection with the operation of a phonograph with a disk record mounted on a. turntable, it will be obvious that the mechanism is adapted for use with other types of sound reproduction apparatus and devices. The invention can readily be adapted to carriers of recorded sound, whether in the form of circular disk records, cylindrical records, and photographic sound tracks. Accordingly when the terms carrier and sound track are used, they will be understood to refer to carriers and sound tracks of all kinds.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that such details are not intended to be limitative of the invention except insofar as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. Control mechanism for the operation of apparatus for reproducing sound from sound records comprising a rotatable turntable, a record supported and rotated thereby, pickup mechanism adapted to engage the record, adjustable means mounted adjacent and engaging the pickup mechanism to fix its lateral position with relation to the record, means to maintain the pickup mechanism in fixed lateral position with relation to the record and out of engagement therewith, and means operated by the turntable at a predetermined rotative position thereof to control engagement of the pickup mechanism with the record.

' 2. Control mechanism for the operation of apparatus for reproducing sound from sound track carriers comprising, a traveling sound track carrier, a sound track thereon, pickup mechanism adapted to engage said sound track, adjustable means engaging the pickup mechanism for retaining said pickup mechanism in fixed relation to but out of engagement with a predetermined portion of said sound track, and means including a part carried by and travelling with the sound track carrier for releasing said pickup mechanism and bringing said pickup mechanism into engagement with said sound track when a predetermined point thereon is brought into alignment with said pickup mechanism.

3. In sound reproducing apparatus for the reproduction of sound from a traveling sound track carrier, control mechanism of the character described comprising, a playing arm, a pickup mechanism carried by said arm and adapted to engage said sound track, means to retain the pickup mechanism spaced from said carrier, means engaging the playing arm for adjusting and maintaining in a predetermined lateral relation with respect to said carrier, and means including a part movable with the sound track carrier for controlling engagement of said pickup member with said. sound track carrier when a predetermined point thereof travels beneath said pickup member at a position to be engaged thereby.

4. In sound reproducing apparatus equipped with a rotatable turntable bearing a disk provided with a traveling sound track, control mechanism comprising, a playing arm, a pickup mechanism carried by said arm and adapted to engage said disc, means engaging the playing arm for limiting its lateral position with respect to the sound track, means for holding said playgagement with said disk, means for releasing said holding means to bring the pickup mechanism into engagement with said disk, and means carried by-the turntable and associated with a predetermined peripheral portion of the disk for actuating said releasing means when the predetermined portion of the disk is brought into such relation with the pickup mechanism as to be engaged thereby when said holding means is released.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein the means for adjusting the lateral position of the playing arm with respect to the disk includes a micrometer for bringing the pickup mechanism into accurate alignment with any desired portion of the sound track.

6. In a phonograph equipped with a rotatable turntable and a disk record carried thereby, said disk being provided with a spiral sound track, control mechanism of the character described comprising, a playing arm, a pickup mechanism carried by said arm, said arm being movable to and from a position wherein the pickup mechanism engages said disk, an electrical circuit a part carried by the turntable i'or opening said circuit to de-energize said solenoids when a predetermined peripheral portion of said sound track is brought into such relation with the pickup mechanism as to be engaged thereby upon the opening of said circuit.

7. In a phonograph equipped with arotatable wrntable and a disk record carried thereby, said disk being provided with a spiral sound track, control mechanism of the character described comprising, a playing arm, apickup mechanism carried by said arm, said arm being movable to and from a position wherein the pickup mechanism engages saiddisk, an electrical circuit provided with a source of current, a solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm out of engaging position, a second solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm in a predetermined radial position with respect to the sound track, a control switch in the circuit, and means operated by a part carried by said turntable to actuate the control switch when a predetermined peripheral portion of the record is brought into such relation with the pickup mechanism as to be engaged thereby upon the operation of the second of said switches. a

8. In a phonograph equipped with a rotatable turntable and a disk record carried thereby, said disk being provided with a spiral sound track, control mechanism of the character described comprising, a playing arm, a'pickup mechanism carried by said arm, said arm being movable to and from a position wherein the pickup mechanism engages said disk, an electrical circuit provided with a source of current, a solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm out of engaging position, a second solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said track, a switch in said circuit, a relay to control the switch, a pair of contacts in the circuit of said relay, and means on'said turntable and associated with a predetermined peripheral portion of said disk for closing said contacts and operating said relay to open the switch and de-energize the solenoids.

9. In a phonograph equipped with a rotatable turntable and a disk record carried thereby, said disk being provided with a spiral sound track, control mechanism of the character described comprising, a playing arm, a pickup mechanism carried by said arm, said arm being movable to and from a position wherein the pickup mechanism engages said disk, an electrical circuit provided with a source of current, a solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm out of engaging position, a second solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said track, a switch in said circuit, a relay to control the switch, a pair of contacts in the circuit of said relay, a manual switch in the relay circuit, electro-magnetic means actuated by said relay for holding said contacts in closed position, said electro-magnetic means and relay being operable only when the manual switch is closed, and means on said turntable and associated with a predetermined peripheral portion I or the disk tor closing the contacts and operating the relay to deenergize said solenoids and to actuate said electro-magnetic means when the manual switch is closed.

10. In a phonograph equipped with a rotatable turntable and a disk record carried thereby, said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm out of engaging position, a second solenoid in said circuit adapted when energized to hold said arm in a predetermined lateral position with respect to said track, a relay, a pair of contacts in the circuit of said relay, electro-magnetic means for holding said contacts in closed position, a double-throw switch actuated by said relay, said switch in one position closing the circuit of the solenoids and in the other position closing the circuit ofthe electro-magnetic means for holding said contacts in closed position, a cam for closing said pair of contacts, and means on said turntable and associated with a predetermined peripheral portion of said disk for closing the contacts for operating the relay to de-energize the solenoids,

11. In a sound reproducing apparatus of the type including a rotatable carrier for a record having a sound track thereon, control mechanism comprising an arm mounted for movement across the record and pivoted intermediate its ends for movement of one end toward and away from the record, a pickup carried by said one end for cooperation with the sound track on the record, a plate of magnetic material carried by the other end of the arm, magnetic means cooperating with type including a rotatable turntable for a disc having a spiral sound track, control mechanism comprising an arm pivoted adjacent the disc for movement of one end substantially radially across the disc, a pickup carried by said one end of the arm for cooperation with the sound track, said arm being pivotally supported for movement of the pickup toward and away from the disc, a magnetic plate carried by the other end of the arm and having an angular flange portion, magnetic means cooperating with the plate to rock the arm about its support to raise the pickup fromthe disc, an adjustable stop engageable with the flange portion to limit movement of the pickup across the disc, and magnetic means for urgirtig the flange portion into engagement with the s op.

' 14. Apparatus as deflned in claim 13 including control means for simultaneously de-energizing both magnetic means to drop the. pickup on the disc and to release the arm for free swinging movement across the disc.

WILLIAM C. EDDY. 

